Plummet



E. H. MoR is' PLUMMET} Filed Feb. 15', 1930 baw? Patented July 14, 19 ,1; l

, UNITED? STATES PATENT (OFFICE. I EAR Mortars, or rima, EN'riIoKY 7 p P uMME'r I 7 Application filed February 15, 1930; Serial No. 428,769.

This invention relates to plummets of that line and thus suspend the, plummet at the detype suspended by a plumb line and embodysired elevation. 1 I a ing means through the medium of which the The invention has for a further object to effective length of the plumb line may be providea device of the characterstated which varied to support the plummet at the desired shall embody a member having a fixed posi- ,55 elevation. tion with-respect to the plummet and adapted The invention has for'one of. its objects to to insure the uniform winding of the plumb provide a device of the character stated line on the spool and adapted to insure the wherein the plumb line varying means shall free unwinding of the line from the spool.

consist of a spool on which the line is nor- The invention has'for-a further object to ;60 mally wound, wherein the plummet and spool pIVld a device of the character stated shall beso associated as to permit the line-to "where n the plummet; spool and plumb line be unwound from or wound upon the-spool wlndlng and guiding member shall be so reas the result of the rotation of the plummet, lated as to permit free access to the spool from and wherein the plummet and spool shall emtheflXterlOl the pa to the d' a 5 body interlocking elementsn-ormally holding 1 W; plumb llne may be readily passed the former against rotation with respect to gh h wlndlllg and guldmg member the latter so as to prevent the accidental unand attached to and wound upon the spool. winding of the line and thus insure the Lens The lllventlon has further Object to P nsion of the plummet-at the desired eleva- PTOVide device 0f h h er S a ed 7 '55 associated as to permit the plummet to move that true balance (lithe P m y b 7 don, wherein the plummet, spool and winding and he invent 0D has for a further object t guiding member shall be symmetrical with provide a device of the character stated respect to the/11 owniwflltlcfll 6 and 50 6- h i th l t d p l h ll b so lated that such axes Wlll coincide, tothe end downwardly with respect to the spool when obtaimjdf the spool i h d i th h d h b t f The invention has for a still further ob ect the plummet from engagement with the spool to p q a devlce 9 the Charade? Stated and thus er i i to t d unwind enough whereln the plumb line shall be adapted to '90 o the plumb i to Support i at the desired be wound upon and unwound from the spool :5 associated as to permit'the spool,on being J the result support the plummet at the desired v 5 employed to effect its disengagement from the ment;

1 it is desired to check-the unwinding ofthe partly-in vertical sectionof a portion of the with the minimum of friction, to the end haS f a f th oh'iect to that abrasion of the plumb line willbe re- 'duced to the'minimum and the free and easy movement thereof insured. 7

These and other 'ob'ects are attained by the V with respect construction shown in the accompanying released, to move downwardl I i to the plummet whereby to establish an inmi g Wherem for the P P of Imus" terldck'i'ng connection Between them and as tritltloll are shown preferred embodiments and W ere1n:'' i

Figure 1 is a sectional view taken on a plane i hr f further ct to extending vertically and centrally through m m en a 18 a plummet constructed in accordance with provide a of .the' character f my invention, the body of the plummet and wherein the lnert gravity ofrthe plummet 1s spool being Shown in interlocking engage elevation.

The invention rovide a. device of the character stated wherein the plummet and spool shall be so i L i $1 When 1t l deslled b0 unwmd a-length l3 igure 2 1s a sectional view taken on the of the P m line from the Spool and wherein horizontal plane indicated by the'line 22 of the inert gravity of the spool is employed to Figure 1; Y i

effect its engagement with the plummet when .Figure 3 1s a view partly in elevation and plummet with the body and spool out of intel-locking engagement;

Figure 4: is a sectional view taken on the horizontal plane indicated by the line 44 of Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is a view partlyain vertical sec tion and partly in elevation of a slightly modified form of the plummet.

Referring in detail to the drawings, and particularly to Figures .1 to 4, 1 designates the plummet and 2 the indicating point of the plummet. The plummet 1 is provided at its upper end with a spindle 3 which is ar-' ranged with its axis coinciding withthe axis of the plummet. The plummet 1 is provided at its upper side with an annular series of locking elements or teeth5 which surround the spindle3 and are arranged concentrically with respect to the axis of the plummet and spindle and extend upwardly from the upper side ofthe plummet body member '1.

A spool 6 is mounted upon the spindle 3,

and its axis coincides with the axis of the plummet 1 and spindle. The spool 6 is provided in the upper portion of its lateral surface with an annular groove 7 for the re ception of the plumb line 8 and it is provided below the groove with a downwardly tapering or conical grip 9. The spool 6 isprovided at its lower end with looking elements or teeth 10 which are adapted to engage the teeth 5 to normally hold the body 1 against rotation with respect to the spool. A plumb line winding and guiding member 11 is fixed to the spindle 3, and it comprises a circular base 12 provided with acentral opening 13 for the reception of the upper end of the spindle, a substantially cylindrical stem 14 extending upwardly from the base and located abovethe spindle with its axis coinciding with the axis of the plummet 1 and spindle, and an annular flange 15 extending downwardly from the base and surrounding the upper portion of the groove 7 of the spool 6. r

The stem 14-. is provided with an axial pas-- sage 16 which extends from the upper end thereof to a passage 17 extending diametrically through the lower end of the stem. The flange 15 is provided near its lower edge with diametrically opp'osedradial openings 18 and 19. The plumb line 8 which extends through the passages 16 and 17 and opening 18 is wound about the spool 6 and is suitably secured to the spool. The spool-6 may be provided at'opposite sides of itsaxis with openings 20, in either of which an end of the plumb line may be secured. Th'e'plumb line 8 may be secured to the spool 6 in any other manner desired. That portion of the plumb line 8 that is located between the passage 17 and the opening 18 contacts with the outer lateral surfaces of the base 12 and flange 15 abrasion of the plumb and such surfaces are spherical to'pre'vent line. The lower end of the passage 16 is rounded also to prevent abrasion of the plumb line 8.

The passage 17 is extended diametrically through the stem 14:, and the flange 15 is provided with an opening 19 diametrically opposite the opening 18 to effect a perfect balance of the winding and uiding member 11, and to permit the .plumb Fine 8 to be changed from side to side of the winding and guiding member occasionally so as to produce equal wear on each side of said member and thus insure its true balance being maintained for a long time under continued use. The base 12 is spaced sufiiciently from the upper end of the plummet 1 to permit the plummet to move downwardly with respect to the spool 6 when the spool is. held in the hand, such movement of the plummet carrying theteeth 5 out of engagement with the teeth 10, and

as theresult, freeing the plummetand wind-: ing and guiding member 11 for rotation with respect to the spool. I

The point 2 and spindle 3 may be formed integrally with'the plummet l, as shown in Fi gure 1, or if desired, the point and spindle may be formed integrally and separately from the plummet, as shown in Figure 5. In this figure. 2a-designates the point, 3 the spindle'and 1 the plummet. The spindle 3 passes 'centrally through the plummet 1", and the'p'lummet l ma-y be fixed to the spin die in any suitable manner. The winding and guiding member 11 may be screw thread- 'edly engaged with the spindle, as shown at 4 in Figure 5, or it may be secured thereto in any other suitable manner.

In practice, the plummet 1 is suspended through the medium of the plumb line 8, more or less of the plumb line is wound on the spool 6, and the teeth 5 and 10 are in engagement to hold the plummet and winding andguiding' member 11 against rotation with respect to the spool. WVhen it is desired to lower the plummet 1 from the position in which it is suspended by the plumb line 8, the spool 6 is grasped and moved upwardly to carry its teeth 10 out of c ment with the teeth -5, and-thus free the plummet 1 and winding and guidingmember 11 for rotation with respect to the spool. The plummet 1 is now lowered through the medium ofthe spool16 which isheld against rotation. WVhile the plummet 1 is being lowered, the downward movement thereof is slightly retarded by the frictional contact between the unwinding plumb line 8 and the walls of the openings o'ff'the winding and guiding member 11, and

due thereto rotary motion is imparted to the plummet and said member, the rotation of such parts unwindcarries its teeth 10 into engagement with the ngageteeth 5. The engagement between the teeth 5 and 10 holds the plummet 1 and winding and guiding member 11 against rotation with respect to the spool 6.

The plumb line 8 is now held against unwinding from the spool 6, with the result that the plummet is held at the desired elevation. When it is desired to rewind the plumb line 8 upon the spool 6, the plummet is supported from the spool to free the plummet 1 and guiding and winding member 11 from engagement with the spool, and thereafter the plummet and winding and guiding member are turned with respect to the spool, the turning of these parts uniformly winding the plumb line on the spool. To facilitate the turning of these parts, the stem 14 is provided with knurled portions 140;. The diameter of the bore of the spool 6 is slightly larger than that of the spindle 3 so as to permit the plummet 1 and winding and guiding member 11 to rotate freely with respect to the spool during the winding of the plumb line 8 upon or the unwinding of the same from the spool. The teeth 5 and 10 are of such formation that when in engagement they hold the plummet against; turning movement with respect to the spool 6 in a direction to unwind the plumb line and permit the plummet to be turned in a direction to wind the plumb line on the spool.

WVhile I have described the principle of the invention, together with the device which I now consider the preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that the device shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made, when desired, as fall within the scope of the invention as claimed,

I claim 1. In combination, a plummet, a spool, a plumb line wound on the spool, a spindle connecting the plummet and spool to permit the plummet to move downwardly and rotate with respect to the spool when suspended by the spool, and interlocking elements carried by the plummet and spool and adapted to engage each other when the plummet is suspended by the plumb line to hold the plummet against rotation with respect to the spool. i

2. In combination, a plummet, a spool, a plumb line wound on the spool, a spindle connecting the plummet and spool to permit the plummet to move downwardly and rotate with respect to the spool when suspended by the spool, interlocking elements carried by the plummet and spool and adapted to engage each other when the plummet is suspended by the plumb line to hold the plummet against rotation with respect to the spool, and a winding and guiding member for the plumb line secured to the spindle.

3. In combination, a plummet, a spool, a plumb line wound on the spool, a spindle i and guiding member connecting the plummet and spool to permit pended by the plumb line to hold the plummet against rotationwith respect to the spool, and a winding and guiding member for the plumb line secured to the spindle, said member having a circular base secured to the spindle, a stem extending upwardly from the base, and an annular flange depending from the base and surrounding the spool, the stem being provided with axial and diametrical passages and the flange being provided with a radial opening for the reception of the plumb line.

4t. In combination, a plummet, a point therefor, a spindle carrying the point and extending axially through the plummet, a spool mounted upon the spindle and permitting the plummet to move downwardly and rotate with respect to the spool when suspended by the spool, and interlocking elements carried by the opposing ends of the plummet and spool and adapted to hold the plummet against turning with respect to the spool when, suspended by the plumb line.

5. In combination, a plummet, a winding fixed to the plummet and having passages therethrough, a spool, a plumb line passing through said passages and wound on the spool, means connecting the plummet and spool so that the plummet and said member may move downwardly'and rotate with respect to the spool when suspended by the spool and so that the spool maymove downwardly with respect to the plummet and said member when suspended by the line, and means holding the plummet and said member against turning movement with respect to the spool only when suspended by the line.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

EARL H. MORRIS. 

